I’m getting a lot of negative press releases showing up on my PC lately. A few of them contain an underlying tone that I find rather alarming. One of the ugliest underlying “tones” comes from the recent referendum in England.

I’m rather disgusted by what this video contained. I’m also rather glad that there were many more people defending the person being victimized; rather than stepping in and fueling the “Neo Nazi” like behavior coming from two young men.

I know Mary, Mark and Colin, British citizens and friends; would never ever engage in any such vile behavior. Yet, it concerns me that there is a reported 57% rise in hate crimes and acts of bigotry since this vote.

We have similar problems here in Canada too. A LOT of people are of the mindset that we shouldn’t allow in any more refugees or immigrants, that we should only ever take care of ourselves, and shutter the border to everyone else.

I think it’s important that people understand that this “not in my backyard” mentality many of us share is leaving out one very important detail; that we are no longer having large families. These social programs, like Universal Health Care, CPP, roads and infrastructure, etc…etc…are all now relying on these immigrants that are working the jobs we Canucks feel are beneath us.

The tax dollars generated from these immigrants are what’s going to help us all sustain these programs we now enjoy in the future.

I also must add that while there are immigrants and “refugees” that abuse the system, most of them are honest, hard-working, and damned glad to be living someplace that they don’t need to worry about running for their lives.

Or do they.

I must say this as well. Every last one of us, unless you are Aboriginal, are the descendants of immigrants and refugees.

How many Irish persons living in Canada had relatives that came over during the famine. How many Asians looking for a better life happily came to Canada to help these Irish men dig the Rideau Canal. How many persons of colour escaped slavery by traveling in the Underground Railroad. I could go on and on and on.

We live in one of the richest countries on earth. Yes, times are tough, and they are doomed to being even tougher. So why is it that instead of looking at our blessings, that we focus so strongly on what we don’t have, or what we will lose.

I have a friend, a Syrian, living in another nation that would set quite a few of you straight on what’s really happening there.

I once had a Skype chat with him, and literally heard bombs going off. It doesn’t get any more real than that. While he may be safe, his family is still living there, and is in danger every moment they do.

So to England, the U.S.A, Canada, and every single European and Commonwealth country I say…remember WW2. Remember how Hitler lead a nation to genocide. It wasn’t much different from what I see happening now in not only England, but many other countries.